Naming Names

In response to our post below on "oak alternatives," reader Phil from New York asks if we know of specific producers who use oak chips in their wine. This information is often tightly held in the industry, to say the least, as many wine lovers consider the practice taboo. Quite helpfully, though, the Wine & Vines issue on "oak alternatives" conducted a blind tasting of wines from known users of these controversial techniques.

The five producers who provided samples were: Romel Rivera, Corté Riva Vineyards, Santa Rosa, Calif.; Gordy Venneri, Walla Walla Vintners, Walla Walla, Wash.; Steve Pessagno, Pessagno Winery, Salinas, Calif.; Sean Larkin, Larkin Wines, Yountville, Calif.; and Clark Smith, GrapeCraft Wines, Sebastopol, Calif. (Have they no shame?)

Obviously, this is just the tip of the iceberg.

The Wine & Vines article, complete with the results from the blind tasting, can be found here.